At last, a recitation of the new English
translation has been produced and is available for free download from
this site. Make as many copies as you like of this new
recitation of the Sangháta or listen online. And
check back for more versions with musical accompaniment.

The Blessed One said, “An orator of
the Dharma is to be understood to be equal to a
tathágata.”

Sarva-shúra said, “Blessed One, who is an orator
of the
Dharma?” “Anyone who reads out the
Sangháta sutra is
an orator of the Dharma.”

“Whoever recites the Sanghāta Sūtra, that one is an expounder
of the Dharma.”
- Ārya Sanghāta Sūtra

Website of the Arya Sanghata
Sutra

Guide to Reciting

When we recite this text,
we are offering our bodies to allow the Sanghāta Sūtra
to manifest in the world in its fullest form: as physical
sound,
as verbal expression and as mental content.

As Lama Zopa
Rinpoche said in an article in Mandala
about the Sanghāta Sūtra,
“This is a very important sutra, and can be recited in many
different situations,
for example when a center or an individual has problems or obstacles.
It is a direct blessing from Buddha to you.” Indeed, Rinpoche
has repeatedly asked his Dharma centers to specifically recite the Sanghāta
Sūtra to
generate merit for special projects, especially for the success of the Maitreya Project.
On the first anniversary
of September 11, Rinpoche requested his students to recite the sutra
for world peace and to avert disaster. Rinpoche has given recitations
of
the Sanghāta
Sūtra as a preliminary practice to students, including
one senior monk who was asked to recite the sutra 500 times as a
preliminary practice before beginning a long-term retreat.

Reciting the Sanghāta
Sūtra can
be seen as an offering to Buddha and to the Sanghāta itself,
as a form of purification, and as a way to bring all the benefits of
the sutra to ourselves and to others who may be within earshot. The Sanghāta Sūtra can
be recited any time and any place, but following some basic guidelines
can help make the activity most beneficial—and most
enjoyable!

Some Basic Guidelines

The Sanghāta
Sūtra can
be recited in any language. (It is available in eight languages, with
more on the way.)

There is no prerequisite for reciting. No initiation,
transmission,
teachings or permission is required. Anyone can recite, at any time.

Recite out loud. The idea in reciting is to reproduce the
sutra with
our body, speech and mind. For that, reciting requires us to use our
vocal chords, even if we recite quietly. However, it is especially
important for the sound to be audible if pets or other animals
are within earshot. The sutra itself describes vast benefits
received by those whose ear the sutra reaches, even without
understanding. Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains, "If
you don’t
read the sutra out loud, then you’re cheating yourself, and
missing the chance
to create the merit of speech."

It is good to place your palms together in prostration
while
reciting, as you might if Buddha were present addressing you directly.
This is especially beneficial to do at those points where the Sanghāta describes
the benefits of placing palms together in prostration to the Sanghāta.

People usually find it most effective to recite the sutra
all at once,
rather than doing partial recitations or dividing the recitation into
different sessions. However, since there are tremendous benefits to
reciting even one verse from the Sanghāta,
when it
is not possible to do complete recitations, it is still extremely
beneficial to recite when one can, as many pages as one can at each
time.

Many of those who have recited with others often report
they find this
more powerful than reciting alone. In general, the merit generated by
group activities far outweighs the merit we can generate on our own.
Thus reciting with friends (or strangers, or 'enemies'!) is highly
recommended.

For more detailed tips for making your recitation most powerful using motivations
and
dedication
particular to this recitation, for special
visualizations and contemplations for during and after
reciting, or to better understand the benefits
of reciting,
explore the links on the upper left side of this page. And don't forget
to report
your recitation to have the spot you recited it marked on the
satellite map of global Sanghāta
activity.